This invention relates to a process for production of cellulase by utilizing bacteria.
In recent years, attempts have been made to convert cellulose resources into sugars with the use of enzymes on a scale of a national project as one of the developments of biomass energy.
As an enzyme suitable for such a purpose, it is preferred to use cellulase having a high activity for decomposition of crystalline celluloses. As such a cellulase, those produced by microorganisms belonging to a mold such as Trichoderma, Irpex, Aspergillus, and Sporotrichum are well known in the art. However, a long term (one to two weeks) is necessary for production of cellulase by the culturing of a mold. As another drawback, solid culturing is preferred for a mold.
On the other hand, among bacteria, Cellulomonas has been well known in the art as cellulase-producing microorganism, but it has been reported that the cellulases produced therefrom are noticeably low in activity of decomposing crystalline cellulose and also that the enzyme related to crystalline cellulose decomposition is not excreted out of the microorganism cells [Aust. J. Biol. Sci., Vol. 31, pp. 553-564 (1978)]. Therefore, concerning production of cellulase, no practical development comparable to those with the use of molds has yet been reported in the case of bacteria.